3 Dolphins
by Kilrez
Summary: The Torchwood folk are very briefly abducted by aliens. This causes less consternation than it should.


**3 Dolphins**

A/N: Just a brief scene, because I think things like this definitely need to happen more often. Could have been anywhere in the Torchwood timeline.

* * *

Suddenly being in zero gravity was a bit of a shock. Gwen clutched at the nearest surface and clenched down hard on the urge to vomit. Owen flailed wildly for a second, succeeding in making himself spin gently.

'What the…?' exclaimed the team's doctor, stopping struggling but not even attempting to sound calm.

Jack was hanging lightly onto the surface they'd materialised next to. Apparently unfazed, he gazed around the large open space. 'It seems we've been abducted by aliens,' he commented.

'Huh,' said Ianto flatly. He too was simply hanging on to the wall, but with both hands, and in a clinging fashion.

Jack chuckled lightly and reached up to grab Owen by the foot. With a firm tug, he brought him down to bump against the wall the others had managed to grab on their arrival. Owen found a hand-hold and Jack let his foot go. 'Don't drift too far out 'cause if you lose momentum, you get stuck,' he informed them helpfully.

'Thanks, oh captain,' replied Owen dryly.

'You're welcome,' Jack cheerfully responded. 'That being said…' he continued. With a bunching of muscles, he pushed off firmly into an elegant roll that finished with him heading away towards the opposite wall. Ianto and Owen watched. Gwen tried to control her heaving stomach. It didn't help that Jack was now soaring through the direction she had been trying to think of as up.

'Where are you going?' asked Ianto.

'Just investigating,' called back Jack. He spun in midair to land feet down on the wall, and pushed off again in a slow glide at a different angle.

'No you're not,' pointed out Owen. 'You're playing.'

That earned a bright flash of a grin from Jack. 'Aw, c'mon. Zero G has some serious perks.'

'We'll just leave you and Ianto alone then shall we,' muttered Gwen wryly, just loud enough to be heard. Ianto blushed. Jack laughed.

'Surprisingly, those rumours are greatly exaggerated.' With a slow barrel roll, he hooked one foot through a protruding bar and hung there, upside down from their perspective, whilst he talked. 'Sex without gravity works on the three dolphins principle.'

There was a second's pause as everyone fought not to ask the obvious question, but Gwen gave in despite herself. 'Which is?' she sighed.

'Without something to brace against, you need two for the act and a third one to push,' he informed them with an insalubrious grin. Owen groaned.

'Do you think perhaps we could do something about the abducted issue?' Ianto mentioned, bringing their attention back.

Jack winked at him. 'Not to worry. I'm sure our hosts will make themselves visible shortly. Maybe there'll be probing,' he said brightly.

'Could you think clean for _one_ second?' Gwen challenged him, but she was amused as she said it. Jack's antics were taking her mind off her space sickness.

Jack's answer was interrupted by the timely appearance of something that strongly resembled a cuttlefish. They all stared at it. It hung in midair, skirt fluttering gently. After a moment, a rapid flash of colours passed over its skin.

Gwen opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again when Jack shook his head minutely. They waited for several long seconds, then hidden speakers crackled to life. 'Sentience question mark,' translated an electronic voice.

There was another pause. 'Yes?' tried Jack in answer.

It made them all jump when the so-far plain grey walls suddenly rippled patterns and shapes. Owen let out a huff of understanding. The alien swam a little closer to where Owen, Gwen and Ianto clung to the wall, as though investigating. They eyed it warily.

'Apologies,' the metallic voice translated its flashing skin after several seconds.

It was highly disorientating suddenly having a 'down' again. All four of them collapsed on the grating with varying levels of indignity.

'Well that has to be one of the strangest encounters we've had,' commented Ianto, climbing to his feet and brushing off his jacket.

There was muttered agreement from Owen before he made his way back to the medical bay to continue what he'd been doing. Gwen just stood blinking at Jack for a second, then wafted towards her computer, expression somewhat shell-shocked.

'Hey guys, I'm back with lunch,' called Tosh as the door rolled open. 'Anything interesting happen while I was gone?'

_fin_


End file.
